Allison Cohen Hall

Pushing the Employment Agenda: Case Study Research of High Performing States in Integrated Employment

Organizational variables, including policies, practices, collaborations, and funding mechanisms resulting in high performance in integrated employment, were described through case study research in 3 states. Findings address how contextual factors, system-level strategies, and goals of the system are related as well as how they sustain systems change. Strategies such as flexibility in funding and practices; communication of values through data, rewards, and funding incentives; and innovation diffusion through relationships and training were most successful when they were embedded within the context of a solid values base, a network of dedicated stakeholders, and clarity about systemic goals. Implications are presented with respect to state systems, community rehabilitation providers as partners in planning, and future leadership in the field.

Retaining the Older Workforce: Social Policy Considerations for the Universally Designed Workplace

Even in the midst of massive layoffs that come with an economic downturn, employers must remain aware of the pending impact of their aging workforce. Losing older employees to retirement drains knowledge and expertise. In response, employers are looking at new ways to retain older workers at the same time that older workers are reevaluating the traditional approach to retirement. This article presents findings from case study research consisting of interviews with key employees at 18 companies in 13 states. Five of those companies subsequently participated in in-person site visits. Interviews were held with a wide range of informants, including company leadership, supervisors, and older workers. Findings include a description of the cultural context within which the development of formal and informal older worker retention strategies occurred, as well as the retention strategies themselves. The discussion section explores the universal nature of these retention initiatives and how consideration of universality benefits not only older workers but a range of diverse groups as well.

Social capital through workplace connections: opportunities for workers with intellectual disabilities.

Using qualitative methods, this study examined the experiences of individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in sheltered workshops and compared them to those in community employment. In particular, the study investigated how employment affects opportunities for the creation of social capital. Primary respondents were individuals with ID and secondary respondents were family members and employment services staff. Findings revealed that a form of social capital was created through workplace connections. Community employment did not increase social capital per se, but it did produce opportunities not available in the workshop. The role of family members emerged as critical in the support of community employment and its potential for social capital development.

What Do Employment Specialists Really Do? A Study on Job Development Practices.

This study examined the extent to which employment specialists implemented the job development practices recommended in the research literature when assisting job seekers with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Self-reported data were collected through a Web-based survey from 163 employment specialists from 74 employment programs in 28 states. Questions focused on the following four clusters of activities: Getting to know job seekers, finding job openings, engaging employers to hire, and facilitating transition to a job. Findings showed that some employment specialists self-reported practices conflicted with the practices advocated in the literature. On the basis of our findings, we recommended a greater emphasis on implementing job development activities recommended in the literature as well as furthering research on effective, evidence-based practices.

Employment and Economic Self-Sufficiency:2015 National Goals for Research, Policy, and Practice

Abstract Employment in general workforce and economic self-sufficiency continue to be the exceptions for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), rather than the norm. Researc...

Active aging for individuals with intellectual disability: meaningful community participation through employment, retirement, service, and volunteerism.

As individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities become more engaged in community employment, it will be critical to consider how their employment experience changes as they age. Similar to other seniors, individuals will need to consider whether they want to maintain their employment, reduce their work commitment, or retire completely. If they do choose to retire, what activities will they choose to engage in, and what service or supports might be necessary? This article considers the issues faced by all aging workers in regard to retirement planning and active aging as well as specific strategies for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to remain active and engaged. Recommendations for service options, policy consideration, and future research are also discussed.

Employment funding for intellectual/developmental disability systems

Funding is a central tool for improving the quality and range of employment service options. While outcome-based funding models are more common in the Vocational Rehabilitation system, there is a need for funding structures in intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) service systems that signal a clear preference for high-quality, cost-effective integrated employmentoutcomes.Inanenvironmentofincreasingfiscaldemandsandlimitations,andexpansionofself-directedservicesand individualized budgeting, state IDD systems must engage in rate-setting and funding discussions that are rooted in their priorities and long-term goals. This paper explores rate-setting methodologies, rate structures, and incentives for integrated employment, and the relationship between funding, policies, and priorities. A detailed analysis within five states yields lessons for other state IDD systems as they contend with evolving funding structures that respond to fiscal pressures and demands. Implications include the need for funding to be seamless, goal-focused, and connected to and consistent with larger systems strategies.

Agents of change in the disability field: bridge‐builders who make a difference

Purpose – This paper seeks to highlight the systemic conditions that facilitate the emergence, longevity, and effectiveness of bridge‐builders across organizations.Design/methodology/approach – Researchers conducted longitudinal case studies in six One‐Stop Career Centers across the USA over four years. Interviews were conducted with approximately 20 people in various positions at each of the sites visited. The data analyzed spanned the four years of the study.Findings – Researchers uncovered particular characteristics present in individual bridge‐builders that enabled them to accomplish their goals. This research indicates that, when the right conditions intersected with the right type of person, champions emerged who helped move the organization in new and innovative directions.Originality/value – This paper provides an outline of the organizational change that can happen in the disability field. By delineating bridge‐builders and the context in which they operate, others can identify the conditions wit...

Knowledge translation in job development: strategies for involving families.

BACKGROUND Although United States employment policies have increased support for people with disabilities working in community settings, the unemployment rate for this population remains very high, particularly for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Research shows that job developers (direct support professionals who assist people with disabilities to secure, maintain, and advance in employment) are critical to achieving quality employment outcomes. However, the extent to which job developers use practices that are considered promising in their field (such as engaging families) is not well known. METHODS This brief report summarizes findings from a qualitative study about the extent to which job developers use the recommended promising practices when working with individuals and family members. RESULTS Qualitative analysis identified the following themes among job developers: factors affecting family involvement, perceptions of family involvement, and the influence of expectation on strategies. CONCLUSIONS The field of job development faces a challenge common to many professions: translating research on best practices to those who need this knowledge the most and can use it to greatest effect. Future research should address how community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) communicate about and instill best practices, including effective family engagement, within their organizations.

From Research to Practice: Knowledge Translation in Job Development

Abstract Researchers consider job developers key to the successful negotiation of the complex factors that people with intellectual disability face when pursuing employment. Unfortunately, knowledge about the characteristics and their use of research tested strategies in job development is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the practices and attitudes of job developers and the implementation of best practices as described in the literature. The current study is an outgrowth of a large online survey of job development practices (Migliore, Hall, Butterworth, & Winsor, 2010). Researchers reached out to a subset of survey participants via telephone and conducted qualitative interviews with eight job developers. Findings from this study further explain the conclusions of Migliore et al. (2010) regarding the gap between the literature and field. Findings from the study also indicate that the issues, challenges, and strategies that job developers use with each customer group (famil...